Refrigerating appliance

ABSTRACT

A refrigerating appliance is shown, comprising a refrigerating chamber ( 1 ) for goods to be refrigerated, a housing ( 2 ) receiving the refrigerating chamber ( 1 ) at least partially, at least one door ( 4 ) which is provided on a housing opening ( 3 ) of the housing ( 2 ), can be moved with respect to the housing ( 2 ) and provides access to the refrigerating chamber, and further comprising a door attachment ( 7 ) which is provided between the door ( 4 ) and the housing ( 2 ) and includes an opening device ( 8 ) having a rocker lever ( 14 ) for moving the door ( 4 ) about a tilting axis, particularly a horizontal tilting axis, from a closed to an open position ( 10, 11 ). In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is proposed that the door attachment ( 7 ) comprises a carrier ( 15 ) which is connected to the rocker lever ( 14 ) and in particular adjoins the rocker lever ( 14 ), wherein said carrier carries at least part ( 16 ) of a further opening device of the door attachment ( 7 ) for moving the door ( 4 ) from a closed position ( 10 ) into an open position ( 18 ) which differs from the open position ( 11 ) of the other opening device ( 8 ).

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a refrigerating appliance, comprising a refrigerating chamber for goods to be refrigerated, a housing receiving the refrigerating chamber at least partially, at least one door which is provided on a housing opening of the housing, can be moved with respect to the housing and provides access to the refrigerating chamber, and further comprising a door attachment which is provided between the door and the housing and includes an opening device having a rocker lever for moving the door about a tilting axis, particularly a horizontal tilting axis, from a closed to an open position.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

In order to make a refrigerating chamber of a refrigerating appliance accessible which is closed off by a door, doors with a large variety of door attachments are known which enable the moving of the door from a closed to an open position via an opening device. A door attachment is known for example from DE 140 1 078 A1 which movably fastens a door via a tilting device to the housing. Two rocker levers are provided for this purpose to the side of the door in order to enable the tilting of the door in a vertically upward way with one movement of the same. Although such door attachments are able to provide obstruction-free access to the refrigerating chamber of the refrigerating appliance, it has been noticed that tilting devices, in addition to the increased static preconditions placed on the tilting mechanism, are only suitable within limits because the thus tilted doors can respond in a sensitive way to tilting-induced loading forces. Long service periods which are demanded especially in the case of commercial usage of refrigerating appliances cannot be ensured by such tilting mechanisms.

For this reason, door attachments with alternative opening devices are known (U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,632) which comprise pivoting devices with vertically extending pivoting axes. Although such door attachments offer long service lives in contrast to door attachments with tilting devices because neither the opening device nor the doors are subject to comparatively high loads during opening, it is disadvantageous in such door attachments that when the doors are opened they protrude outwardly from the refrigerating appliance and thus limit the area of movement around the refrigerating appliance. An obstruction-free access cannot be ensured by these door attachments, leading to disadvantages in connection with convenience of the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a refrigerating appliance with a movable door of the kind mentioned above which can ensure in a simple constructional manner both high stability of the door attachment and obstruction-free access to the refrigerating chamber.

This object is achieved by the invention in such a way that the door attachment comprises a carrier which is connected to the rocker lever and in particular adjoins the rocker lever, wherein said carrier carries at least part of a further opening device of the door attachment for moving the door from a closed position into an open position which differs from the open position of the other opening device.

If the door attachment comprises a further opening device for moving the door from the closed position to an open position which differs from the open position of the other opening device, it is enabled in accordance with the invention to provide a stable tilting device in a simple manner, because on average an even use of both access alternatives will occur depending on the habits of the users, so that a tilting device can also be provided without any special additional constructional measures. The service life can be increased especially when the door attachment comprises a carrier connected with the rocker lever, which carrier carries at least a part of a further opening device of the door attachment. The tilting-induced loads of the door can thus be discharged to the carrier, which can improve the strength of the door and especially the stability of the door attachment. Simple constructional conditions are obtained when the carrier is disposed adjacent to the rocker lever. In contrast to the state of the art, the invention can thus not only ensure an increased service life of the refrigerating appliance but also alternative and also obstruction-free access among other things to the refrigerating appliance.

In particular, the door and/or the further opening device can be relieved from tilting-induced forces when the door attachment comprises a support and the carrier is arranged in relation to the door in such a way that during the movement of the door about the tilting axis the carrier ensures discharge of the forces onto the rocker lever via the support. Tilting-induced deformation forces can thus be discharged in a simple manner, which thus reduces the constructional preconditions both for the door and for the further opening device. That is why doors with glass surfaces or glass doors can be provided to be tiltable as compared with the state of the art, which can be advantageous especially for operating comfort because the merchandise of the refrigerating chamber can be inspected prior to opening the door. An additional factor is that with the support it is possible to improve the security of the door attachment by reducing the likelihood of breakage of the door or door fastening. The carrier can be arranged in relation to the door in such a way that it provides a connection of forces during the tilting of the door in addition to the further opening device in order to thus enable the relief of forces in an improved manner on the tilted door. The carrier is preferably used for an at least partial support of the tilted door. It is understood that the rocker lever need not be regarded at all times as a straight lever; it could certainly assume a common shape with the carrier which can have a large variety of progressions.

If the carrier comprises a carrier frame, it is not only possible to create a sturdy construction for the further opening mechanism, but this frame can advantageously also be used as a sturdy support. Moreover, the frame can relieve the tilted door for example on all sides, which can enable a comparatively high security against the damage of doors with glass surfaces or glass doors. Simple constructional conditions are obtained when the rocker lever and the carrier form a common component.

Simple constructional conditions for a sliding guide can be obtained when the carrier has a horizontal guide of the sliding guide, because the carrier can thus be used in a constructional manner for the further opening device arranged as a sliding guide.

If the further opening device is arranged as a pivoting device which comprises a pivot bearing which is fastened to the carrier and comprises a swivel axis which extends especially in a normal way and is inclined in relation to the tilting axis, a cost-effective suspension for the door can be created independent of the door construction.

In order to enable the prevention of any uncontrolled pivoting of the tilted door it can be provided that the carrier provided on the door side facing the refrigerating chamber delimits the swivel range of the door. The security of the door attachment can thus be improved in a simple way because when the door is tilted it will rest on the carrier in a manner limited by the stop and is thus unable to perform any undesirable pivoting movements during the tilting of the door.

In order to increase the torsional rigidity of the housing against tilting loads, a force-connecting support strut can be provided between the housing wall protruding from the housing cover and the housing cover.

If the housing comprising a support frame delimits at least partly a recirculating air circuit which supplies the temperature to the refrigerating chamber between the frame carriers and the carrier connections, the dimensions of the refrigerating appliance can advantageously be kept small because the guide devices to be provided for the recirculating air can be housed between the refrigerating chamber and the outside of the housing or the housing can be used for forming this device. Advantageous visible conditions can be provided when the recirculating air circuit comprises openings for supplying cooling air to the door facing the refrigerating chamber at least in the connecting region of housing and door because condensation water on the door can thus be prevented in a simple way.

Depending on the force load to be discharged, two rocker levers can be provided for the tilting device, which rocker levers are spaced from one another, extend especially in a parallel way, act jointly on the support frame and are each fastened via a pivot bearing to the cover of the housing. Moreover, the constructional dimensions of the refrigerating appliance can be reduced in that means such as a compressor and/or condenser are provided in the intermediate area of the two rocker levers for the refrigerant circuit of the recirculating air circuit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter of the invention is shown in the drawings way by reference to exemplary embodiments, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a refrigerating appliance according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the refrigerating appliance according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the refrigerating appliance according to FIG. 1 with a wing of the door swiveled outwardly;

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged and abridged view of the door attachment of the refrigerating appliance according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a front view of the door attachment according to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the refrigerating appliance along the line VI-VI of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of a refrigerating appliance in an abridged side view;

FIG. 8 shows an abridged side view of a third embodiment of a refrigerating appliance;

FIG. 9 shows an abridged side view of a fourth embodiment of a refrigerating appliance with an opening device which is different from the other embodiments;

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view along line X-X of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 shows an abridged side view of a fifth embodiment of a refrigerating appliance with a carrier arrangement which is different from the other embodiments;

FIG. 12 shows an abridged front view of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows an abridged side view of a sixth embodiment of a refrigerating appliance with a carrier arrangement which is different from the other embodiments, and

FIG. 14 shows an abridged front view of FIG. 13.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A refrigerating appliance shown by way of example in FIG. 1 comprises a refrigerating chamber 1 for the storage of goods to be refrigerated which are not shown in closer detail. The refrigerating chamber 1 is partly enclosed by a housing 2. A door 4 with two wings 5 and 6 is provided in a housing opening 3 of housing 2, with the door 4 being connected with the housing 2 via a door attachment 7. The door attachment 7 enables the movement of the doors in order to thus reach the goods of refrigerating chamber 1. Such a door movement is first enabled with the help of an opening device 8. This opening device 8 provides a possibility for movement of the door 4 about a horizontal tilting axis 9 from a closed position 10 to an open position 11, with the two positions 10 and 11 being shown in FIG. 2. Although the open position 11 shown with the dot-dash line in FIG. 2 represents an end position, other tilted open positions are possible, but are not shown for reasons of clarity of the illustration. This open position 11 is characterized in that the door 4 does not protrude into the space of movement of the user in front of the refrigerating appliance. The door 4 is disposed substantially above the housing cover 12 of housing 2. Since the door 4 comprises transparent areas 13 and is thus partly transparent, the goods stored in the refrigerating chamber 1 can be seen from the outside. The door 4 can be arranged in a predominantly or mainly transparent or even opaque way. It is a disadvantage in the removal of refrigerated goods that a comparatively wide opening of the refrigerating appliance is necessary tilting the door 4 in order to remove the goods from the refrigerating chamber 1. In order to ensure that an improved retrieval can be created which is better adjusted to the position of the refrigerated goods in the refrigerating chamber 1 it is proposed in accordance with the invention that the door attachment 7 comprises a carrier 15 which is adjacent to the rocker lever 14 of the opening device 8 and which carries at least parts 16 of a further opening device of the door attachment 7 arranged as a swivel device 17 for moving the door 4 from the closed position 10 to an open position 18 which is different from the open position 11 of the tilting device 8. The open position 18 is shown especially in FIG. 3. The operating convenience of the refrigerating appliance is thus increased because the swivel device 17 creates a second possibility for movement of the door 4 or the door wings 5 and 6 about a substantially vertically extending swivel axis 19.

The door attachment 7 is shown in closer detail in FIGS. 4 and 5. The welded carrier 15 is adjacent to the tilting device 8 and adjacent thereto is the pivoting device 17. The opening device 8 is formed by a tilting bearing 20 and a rocker lever 14, which rocker lever 14 can be moved about the horizontal tilting axis 9 of the tilting bearing 20. The carrier 15 protrudes vertically from the rocker lever 14 in order to allow support means 21, e.g. a tension-compression spring, to act on said carrier 15 in order to facilitate the tilting movement. The pivoting device 17 is fastened to the carrier 15, with the part 16 of the pivoting device 17 enclosing the carrier 15 and protruding from the carrier 15, so that the pin 19′ forming a vertically extending swivel axis 19 can engage in the other parts of the pivoting device 17, which other parts are fastened to the door 4 (not shown). The carrier 15 can be encompassed in the region of the housing opening 3 with insulation (not shown in closer detail) in order to thus reduce the thermal conductivity of the carrier 15.

The carrier 15 forms a carrier frame 15′ which extends parallel to the side edges of door 4, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 5. In order to relieve the door and the further opening device, carrier 15 is arranged in relation to the door 4 in such a way that when door 4 is moved about the tilting axis 9 the carrier frame 15′ of the carrier 15 is used as a support 22 for an at least partial support of the tilted door 4. This is also especially shown in FIG. 2. The carrier frame 15′ which is arranged behind the door 4 is swiveled with the door 4 and is able to relieve the door at least on the edge with its support 22. The relief on the edge side can also be provided on the upper side and/or bottom side of the door. It is also possible that the sides of the door are relieved, which can be the case for example when the door is deflected. Carrier 15 can thus ensure an especially good discharge of forces onto the rocker lever 14, thus providing a stable and secure door attachment 7. The rocker lever 14 advantageously forms a common component with the carrier 15. It is also possible to arrange the carrier 15 and the rocker lever 14 in an integral way.

The security in the operation of the refrigerating appliance can especially be improved when the carrier 15 provided to the side of the door facing the refrigerating chamber 1 delimits the swiveling range of door 4 with its support 22, which is shown in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3. The support 22 is arranged on the carrier frame 15′ in relation to the door in such a way that no additional vertical displacement or swiveling movement of the door 4 or the door wings 5 and 6 can occur during a tilting movement of the door 4. It is possible that additional means are provided between the carrier 15 and the door 4 in order to thus provide a support 22, which does not change anything in the respect that the carrier 15 is used for the support 22. During a tilting movement of the door 4, the door 4 on the carrier 15 additionally discharges load to the further opening device.

A force-connecting support strut 24 is provided between housing cover 12 and the rear wall 23 of the housing which protrudes beyond the housing cover 12.

The tilting device 7 further comprises two mutually spaced and parallel extending rocker levers 14, in the intermediate area of which there are means 25 for the refrigerant circuit of the refrigerating appliance. This can represent a compressor for example in order to avoid having to provide the same on the floor of the refrigerant appliance, which enables a low loading edge of the refrigerating appliance. It need not be mentioned further that differently extending rocker levers 14 are possible.

The overall size of the refrigerating appliance can be reduced when the housing 2 which comprises a carrier frame at least partly delimits a recirculating air circuit 26 between its frame supports 2′ and transverse connections 2″, which air circuit subjects the refrigerating chamber 26 to refrigerating and is shown in close detail in FIG. 6. In order to reduce the formation of condensation water, the recirculating air circuit 26 comprises an outlet 27 with nozzles 28 for supplying refrigerating air to the door side facing the refrigerating chamber in the region of the housing opening 3 adjacent to the door 4. In order to provide a forced circuit of refrigerating air, the outlet 27 is arranged on the housing cover 12, with a fan 30 arranged in the floor 29 of the housing introducing via an inlet 31 the air ejected from the outlet 27 into the recirculating air circuit 26. Furthermore, the evaporator 33 of the recirculating air circuit for refrigerating the refrigerating air guided in the recirculating air circuit 26 is housed in the rear wall 32 of the housing. Furthermore, nozzles 28 are provided in the rear wall 32 through the transverse connections 2″, so that the goods which are stored in the shelves 34 and are not shown here can be subjected to refrigerating air. Furthermore, the refrigerating appliance comprises handles 35 for actuating the door wings 5 and 6. A thermal insulation 36 is advantageously applied to the outside of the housing.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of an opening device 8′. In contrast to the opening device 8 shown in FIG. 4, this opening device 8′ comprises a two-arm rocker lever 14′ which is fastened to the transverse strut 24′ via a tilting bearing 20′. Support means 21′ such as a tension-compression spring act via the lever extension 14″ of the rocker lever 14′ for the purpose of facilitating the tilting movement of the door 4. The support means 21′ are movably held on the housing 2. The support frame 15′ arranged behind the door 4 is swiveled together with the door 4 and can relieve the door with its support 22. The carrier 15 thus enables an especially good discharge of forces on the rocker lever 14′. In particular, the stiffness in the cover area 12 of the refrigerating appliance can be improved with a transverse strut 24′ which acts substantially on the outer edge of the housing cover 12 and on the protruding rear wall 23 of the housing.

FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment concerning the opening device 8. In comparison with the embodiment according to FIG. 2, this opening device 8′ comprises a two-arm rocker lever 14′, similar to FIG. 7. In contrast to the tension-compression spring as shown in FIG. 2, this embodiment comprises support means 21′ which contribute to facilitating the tilting of door 4 with the help of a traction cable 38 which is guided via a deflection roller 37 and is tensioned with a tension means 39. Pulling weights, motors or also a tension-compression spring can be used as tensioning devices.

Moreover, the further opening device can be arranged as a sliding guide 40, which is shown as a further embodiment according to FIGS. 9 and 10. The carrier 15 advantageously comprises a horizontal guide 41 of the sliding guide 40, which reduces the constructional complexity. The two door wings 5 and 6 run on rollers 42 in the guide 41 next to one another, so that the refrigerating chamber 1 is accessible by a displacement of the door wing 5 or 6. An abridged view is shown according to FIGS. 9 and 10. It is understood however that that the same guide cannot necessarily be provided at the bottom end of the door. The carrier 15 also forms a support 22 in addition to the guide 41, which support rests on the upper side surfaces of the door 4 or the door wings 5 and 6, which can be recognized in FIG. 10. Furthermore, the carrier 15 also comprises a carrier frame 15′, into which the door wings 5 and 6 can each protrude. This is not only advantageous concerning thermal insulation, but the carrier frame 15′ can also act in this case as a support 22, because the side surfaces of the door 4 or the adjacent sides of the door wings 5 and 6 can rest there when a tilting of the door occurs.

A further embodiment is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, with the further opening device being arranged in this case as a pivoting device 17′. In contrast to the pivoting device 17 of FIG. 4, the rocker lever 14 is connected with the carrier 43 via the pivoting device 17′. The rocker lever 14 thus carries a part 16 of the pivoting device 17′ of the door attachment 7 for moving the door 4, with the part 16′ protruding from the carrier 43 in order to enable engaging into the other parts of the pivoting device 17′ with a pin 19′ forming a vertically extending pivoting axis 19, which other parts are provided on the carrier 43. The carrier 43 is fastened to the door 4 via several connection means 44 in order to thus discharge tilting-induced deformation forces from the door 4 in a simple way, which is especially advantageous in the case of doors with glass surfaces or glass doors. The carrier 43 is provided between rocker lever 14 and door 4, which can be utilized advantageously for supporting the tilted door. The carrier 43 is arranged in relation to the door 4 in such a way that during the movement of door 4 about the tilting axis 9 the carrier 43 is movable in the direction of the rocker lever 14, so that the carrier 43 is used as a support 22 for supporting the tilted door 4. In this case, the support 22 is provided between carrier 43 and rocker lever 14 and not, as shown in FIG. 2, between carrier 15 and door 4. FIG. 11 shows a considerable distance between carrier 43 and the rocker lever 14. The width of the distance is determined by the possibility of the mobility of the carrier 43 in the direction of the rocker lever 14. It is possible for example to overcome this distance by tolerated deformation forces in order to thus obtain a support 22.

A further embodiment is shown according to FIGS. 13 and 14. In contrast to the embodiment according to FIGS. 11 and 12, the carrier 43′ is a part of the door 4, which carrier 43′ carries the glass surface 13 and parts of the pivoting device 17′. In this case too, the rocker lever 14 can be used as a support 22 for the carrier 43′ when it is moved during the tilting of the door 4 in the direction of the rocker lever 14. The carrier 43′ is arranged in such a way that pivoting of the door 4 which is unobstructed by the rocker lever 14 is possible.

It is also generally possible to use means between carrier and rocker lever or door before tilting the door, which means contribute to the formation of the support instead of a movement of the carrier or door. 

1. A refrigerating appliance, comprising a refrigerating chamber (1) for goods to be refrigerated, a housing (2) receiving the refrigerating chamber (1) at least partially, at least one door (4) which is provided on a housing opening (3) of the housing (2), can be moved with respect to the housing (2) and provides access to the refrigerating chamber, and further comprising a door attachment (7) which is provided between the door (4) and the housing (2) and includes an opening device (8) having a rocker lever (14) for moving the door (4) about a tilting axis, particularly a horizontal tilting axis, from a closed to an open position (10,11), wherein the door attachment (7) comprises a carrier (15) which is connected to the rocker lever (14) and in particular adjoins the rocker lever (14), wherein said carrier carries at least part (16) of a further opening device of the door attachment (7) for moving the door (4) from a closed position (10) into an open position (18) which differs from the open position (11) of the other opening device (8).
 2. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the door attachment (7) comprises a support (22) and the carrier (15) is arranged in relation to the door (4) in such a way that during the movement of the door (4) about the tilting axis (9) the carrier ensures discharge of the forces onto the rocker lever (14) via the support (22) in order to thus provide at least partial force relief for the further opening device and/or the door (4).
 3. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the carrier (15) which especially forms a common component with the rocker lever (14) comprises a carrier frame (15′).
 4. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the further opening device is arranged as a sliding guide (40), with the carrier (15) comprising a horizontal guide (41) of the sliding guide (40).
 5. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the further opening device is arranged as a pivoting device (17) which comprises a pivot bearing (16) which is fastened to the carrier (15) and comprises a swivel axis (19) which extends in an inclined manner, especially normal, in relation to the tilting axis (9).
 6. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 5, wherein the carrier (15) provided on the side of the door facing the refrigerating chamber (1) delimits the swivel range of the door (4).
 7. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein a force-connecting support strut (24) is provided between the housing cover (12) and a rear wall (23) of the housing protruding from the housing cover (12).
 8. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the housing (2) comprising a support frame delimits at least partly a recirculating air circuit (26) which supplies the temperature to the refrigerating chamber (1) between its frame carriers (2′) and transverse connections (2″), which recirculating air circuit comprises an outlet (27) for supplying refrigerating air to the door side facing the refrigerating chamber (1) in the region of the housing opening (3) adjacent to the door (4).
 9. A refrigerating appliance according to claim 1, wherein the tilting device (7) comprises two mutually spaced and especially parallel extending rocker levers (14), in the intermediate area of which there are means (25) for the refrigerant circuit of the refrigerating appliance. 